Individualism or complementarity? The effect of digital personal networks on face-to-face personal networks

ABSTRACT

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are affecting ways of networking in advanced societies. This study analyzes the interaction of face-to-face social networks and digital social networks in Spain, a Mediterranean country characterized by significant sociability in every social sphere. Our aim is to contrast this with the hypothesis that new forms of networking can lead to isolation or individualization. This study uses two surveys carried out by the Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas [Center for Sociological Research] in 2014 and 2016, involving 4922 people over 18 years of age who were asked about these two types of networks (face-to-face and digital) and other topics related to demographics, family, social position, and personality traits. The results indicate complementarity between networks: digital networks served to enrich face-to-face networks, especially when people described themselves as extraverted. However, nuances were observed in relation to rural or urban habitat and forms of coexistence among those interviewed.

KEYWORDS:

• Social support networks
• virtual social networks
• sociability
• information and communication technologies

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Felix Requena is Professor of Sociology at University of Malaga (Spain). He has represented Spain in the Social Protection Indicators Committee in the European Commission (Brussels, 2001–2002) and President of the Spain’s Center for Sociological Research (2012–2916). His research focuses on social network analysis and social capital. His last publications are Las redes de apoyo social (Thomsom-Civitas, 2011); Teorías Sociológicas Aplicadas (With Luis Ayuso) (Anthropos, 2016) [email: [email protected]].

Luis Ayuso is Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Malaga (Spain). His lines of research have focused on the sociology of the family, the third sector, and social welfare. He is currently director of the Research Department of the Spain’s Center for Sociological Research [email: [email protected]].

Notes

1 Technologically mediated sociability is not new. It has adapted throughout the centuries to transformations in the factors that mediate interpersonal relations. In the sixteenth century, the exchange of gifts between peers, nobles, and scholars helped them to maintain contact. In the nineteenth century, bourgeois correspondence had this same function. Letters mitigated the absence of the other person, providing news and indicating presence. Historically, mediated communication has complimented face-to-face relationships (Licoppe & Smoreda, 2005).

2 The complete technical aspects of the survey are available on the website of the Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas: http://www.cis.es/cis/export/sites/default/-Archivos/Marginales/3020_3039/3038/FT3038.pdf and http://www.cis.es/cis/export/sites/default/-Archivos/Marginales/3120_3139/3128/FT3128.pdf

3 The samples of each Barometer were: N = 2444 for September 2014 and N = 2478 for February 2016. Since the Barometers were used together, the total sample was N = 4922 people and the total error for least unfavourable case was ±1.4%.

Additional information

Funding

Financial support for this research was provided by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (Project no. CSO-2013–46440-P; CSO-2017-86349-P). The authors are grateful for this funding support.